In Finland, a schoolgirl from Ukraine was forced to sing "Kalinka" at a music lesson

In Espoo, Finland, a schoolgirl from Ukraine had to sing the Russian song "Kalinka" at a music lesson. When the girl said that she was Ukrainian and did not want to use Russian, the teacher replied that "they don't talk about the war at school." This was reported by the Finnish edition of Yle.

The girl's mother, musician Iryna Gorkun-Silen, said that her 11-year-old daughter, Nikola, was forced to sing a Russian song for fear of getting a bad grade, although she was deeply affected by the situation. She emphasized that "Kalinka" is not just a song, but a symbol, known as the Red Army Choir, and called this lesson "normalizing the aggressor.".

Ellinor Gellman, the principal of the Swedish-language school in Stårängen, refused to comment on the specific case. She sent a written explanation that the school follows the national curriculum and introduces students to different cultures on an educational basis.

At the same time, the Finnish National Board of Education explained that teachers have pedagogical freedom. Heidi Ruonala, a lawyer at the agency, clarified that the teacher could simply change the task if the student was uncomfortable: for example, give a different song or assign an accompaniment.

According to Yle, the incident "shocked" Ukrainians living in Finland, many of whom are firmly convinced that culture is not separate from politics. The incident was widely discussed on social media.

"We are very sad about this situation. The question arises whether it is appropriate to spread Russian culture in schools," commented Vasyl Hutsul, head of the Association of Ukrainians in Finland.

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